Textile shuttle blank



s- 2, 1966 H. N. PHELPS 3,263,708

TEXTILE SHUTTLE BLANK Filed Jan. 7, 1965 INVENTOR. Z HORACE NA THANPHELPS BY I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,263,708 ILE UTTLE LANKHorace Nathan Phelps, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Formica Corporation,CincinnatLOlii h, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan, 7, 1965, Ser. 0423,944

2 Claims. (Cl. 139 -196) This application is a continuation-in-part ofmy earlier application having the Serial No. 235,745, filed November 6,1962, entitled Process,. now [1.8. Patent 3,215,762, issued November 2,1965. The aforementioned copending application'was in turn'a' divisionalapplication of my parent application having the Serial No. 23,163.,filed April 19, 1960, now US. Patent No. 3,089,522, issued May 14, 1963,entitled Textile Shuttle.

This invention relates to a noveltextile shuttle blank and to theprocess of preparing the same. Still further, this invention relates toa method of making a textile shuttle comprising bonding side members toend members so as to form a unitary structure with a bobbin cavity,wherein the side members of the textile shuttle blank are substantiallyuniplanar and the overall configuration of the shuttle blank from alldirections gives the appearance of a rectangular figure. Still furtherthis invention relates to textile shuttle blanks having side and endmembers bonded into a unitary structure wherein the side members arereinforced with a synthetic thermosetting resin-impregnated laminae andthe shoulder areas are reinforced with a resin-impregnated layer offabric rolled into the shape of a rod wherein said rod is ultimatelyflattened substantially into .the shape of a rectilinear parallelepipedin which the longer'axis of the'flatt'ened rod is parallel to the planeof theshuttle having'the bobbin opening but wherein the shorter axis ofthe flattened rod is perpendicular to the plane of a shuttle'having thebobbin opening and wherein the side wall layers of the impregnatedfabric in said flattened, rolledrod are substantially parallel to theside walls of the shuttle blank ar'idelso wherein the top and bottomlayers of the impregnated fabric in said flattened, rolled iodaresubstantially perpendicular to the side walls of the shuttle blank.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a textileshuttle blank by comparatively simple technique which produces a shuttleblank which has outstanding strength properties. A further object of thepresent invention is to produce a textile shuttle blank by a processwhich eliminates certain of the steps previously used in the manufactureof shuttle blanks thereby producing a product through the medium of amore economical process. These and other objects of the presentinvention will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

Molded textile shuttles are well known in the art and have beenmanufactured in various modifications for a number of years.Illustrative of some of the earlier developments in this art are the US.Patents 1,805,090 and more recently 2,905,208 in addition to myaforementioned U.S. Patent 3,089,522. Prior to the manufacture ofshuttles utilizing'reinforced laminae, textile shuttles were made fromdogwood. All shuttles that were made from synthetic resin laminae orfrom dogwood are generally reinforced in their end tips with a metallicshank. For the purposes intended, these metallic shanks tend to protectthe shuttle from the blow of impact and extend the life of the shuttle.These shuttles are, however, subjected to considerable stress, strainand impact during a textile weaving operation. It is known that theseshuttles, in order to be acceptable commercially, must have considerablestrength and endurance. Many of the problems in these directions havebeen solved but the solution of the problems has resulted often times ina complicated technique for the production of the shuttles "ice whichcomplicated technique necessitates an increased cost in productionbecause of the added steps required in order to produce such aserviceable shuttle. By: practic ing the processo'f the presentinvention one is able to produce a very serviceable textile shuttleblank from which a textile shuttle may be machined which has all 0f thes r ble t r utes w th. es t t r f h endurance and yet able to produce ashuttleblank and ultimately a shuttle therefrom through a veryeconomical and simple operation.

In the process of the present invention use is made of a round rod ofresin impregnated'fabric. In order to prepare such a rod, one simplyimpreg'nates the fabric with the selected resinous material and.rollsthe'irn'preghated fabric into the shape of a rod. Theresin coriv 'entionally used in such an operation would be a thermosetting resin suchas a phenolic re sin of which man 'me known in the art. These rods aregenerally cylindrical in shape, although for certain purposes theirend'cro'sssectional area could be in the shape of an ellips'erather thanin the shape of a circle. The height of the cylindrical rod or itselliptical counterpart will depend on the thickness of the shuttle blankbeing prepared? These'rods are placed into the shuttlemold between thereinforcing s ide laminae and at eachof' the extremes'of the bobbincavity. These rods, especially when elliptical in cross sectional area,extend from the bobbin cavity 'to the extreme end of the shuttle.' Theserods'bf resin impregnated fabric are placed in the shuttle blank mold insuch a way as to have the longer axis of the flattened rod'in a positionparallel to the plane of the shuttle having the bobbin opening butwherein thesho'rter axis or the aaaeaa rod a perpendicular to thelari'df the sh me having the bobbinopening' and 'w'her'ein'the side willlayers of the impregnated fabric in said flattened,'rolled rod aresubstantially hammer to the 'side walls of the shuttle blank andwhereinthe top and bottom layers of the impregnated fabric in saidflattened, r lled red are substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls'ofthe shuttle blank." It can be seen from theconfiguration of theserolled rods that considerable" additional reinforcing strengthis'imparted to theultimate shuttle by'theuse or such a 'roll'ed 'rod. Theserolled rods are forced into the body of'the' shuttleblahk' and become apart of its unitary structure. The layers of fabric are oriented in aposition in which the longer axis of the flattened rod is parallel withthe longer axis of the shuttle but in which the shorter axis of theflattened rod is perpendicular to the longer axis of the shuttle.

The side members of the shuttle are reinforced with a plurality oflaminae which have been impregnated with a synthetic thermosettingresin. These resin impregnated laminae are well known in the art and itis deemed to be unnecessary to engage in prolonged delineation of thepreparation of these laminae at this point. It should be sufficient tosay that these wall members carry a thermosetting resin such as aB-stage phenolic resin which is readily converted under heat andpressure to a thermoset condition. It should be apparent that otherthermosetting resins may be used for this purpose such as the ureaformaldehyde resins, the melamine-formaldehyde resins, the epoxy resinsand the like. Because of the cost factors the phenolic resins arepreferred.

The metallic tip insertion can be accomplished after the machining stepsby introducing the insert into the shuttle by use of a drilling andbonding technique.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings which will enable one tounderstand the concept of the present invention more fully.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the end of a shuttle blank.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of a shuttle blank.

3 FIGURE 3 'is' an isometric view of the shuttle blank.

In FIG. 1, the layers of thermosetting resin-impregnated fabric areshown as 1 on each side of the flattened, rolled rods 2.

In FIG. 2, the lengthy strips of the fabric impregnated with thethermosetting synthetic resinous material are shown on each side of theshuttle blank as 1 and the rolled rod in the shoulder areas is shown as2 whereas the bobbin cavity is shown as 3. From the above description ofFIGURES 1 and 2 the isometric FIGURE 3 will be self-explanatory.

The rolled rods 2 can be prepared by rolling a thermosettingresin-impregnated fabric into a cylindrical rod to a precalculatedweight. Alternatively the rods may be made by employing a mandrel in therolling technique, however, it is more economical to use a rollingtechnique. The cylindrical rod is flattened out under heat and pressureto a substantially unitary structure having the appearance of aflattened rod or if desired can be converted into the shape of arectilinear parallelopiped before being inserted into the mold. Thecuring of the resin is adjvanced slightly at this point but not to thethermoset stage.

In other words, the resin is still a thermosetting resin.

in a rolled ro'd be the same as that used in the flat sheets in the sidewall members and for economic reasons it is preferred that the resin bea thermosetting phenolic resin. In order to keep the bobbin cavity openduring the heat and pressure consolidation step to produce the thermosetresin-impregnated assembly, a metallic blank is inserted into the bobbincavity which is removed after the heat and pressure consolidation stephas been completed.

I claim:

1. A textile shuttle blank having side members and end, members havingshoulder areas bonded into a unitary structure with a bobbin cavityhaving bobbin openings wherein said side members are syntheticthermosetting resin impregnated laminae and said shoulder areas arereinforced by a synthetic thermosetting resin impregnated layer offabric rolled into the shape of a rod and flattened substantially into arectangular figure in crosssectional appearance, said rod having itslonger axis in a plane parallel to substantially the center of the planeof the shuttle having the bobbin opening and the shorter axis of theflattened rod is perpendicular to the plane of the shuttle having thebobbin opening, wherein the side wall layers of the impregnated fabricin said flattened, rolled rod are substantially parallel to the sidewalls of the shuttle blank and wherein the top and bottom layers of theimpregnated fabric in said flattened rolled rod are substantiallyparallel to the tops and bottoms, respectively, of the side walls of theshuttle blank.

2. A textile shuttle blank having side members and end members havingshoulder areas bonded into a unitary structure with a bobbin cavityhaving bobbin openings wherein said side members are syntheticthermosetting phenolic resin impregnated laminae and said shoulder areasare reinforced by a synthetic thermosetting phenolic resin impregnatedlayer of fabric rolled into the shape of a rod and flattenedsubstantially into a rectangular figure in cross-sectional appearance,said rod having its longer axis in a plane parallel to substantially thecenter of the plane of the shuttle having the bobbin opening and theshorter axis of the flattened rod is perpendicular to the plane of theshuttle having the bobbin opening, wherein the side wall layers of theimpregnated fabric in said flattened, rolled rod are substantiallyparallel to the side walls of the shuttle blank and wherein the top andbottom layers of the impregnated fabric in said flattened rolled rod aresubstantially parallel to the tops and bottoms, respectively, of theside walls of the shuttle blank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,781,791 2/1957Neely 139196 2,785,442 3/1957 Boggs 264258 2,824,581 2/1958 Heard139-196 2,903,388 9/1959 Ionke et a1 264258 2,905,208 9/1959 Goreau139196 3,089,522 5/1963 Phelps 139196 FOREIGN PATENTS 653,369 5/1951Great Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

H. S. JAUDON, Assistant Examiner.

1. A TEXTILE SHUTTLE BLANK HAVING SIDE MEMBERS AND END MEMBERS HAVING SHOULDER AREAS BONDED INTO A UNITARY STRUCTURE WITH A BOBBIN CAVITY HAVING BOBBIN OPENINGS WHEREIN SAID SIDE MEMBERS ARE SYNTHETIC THERMOSETTING RESON IMPREGNATED LAMINAE AND SAID SHOULDER AREAS ARE REINFORCED BY A SYNTHETIC THERMOSETTING RESIN IMPREGNATED LAYER OF FABRIC ROLLED INTO THE SHAPE OF A ROD AND FLATTENED SUBSTANTIALLY INTO RECTANGULAR FIGURE IN CROSSSECTIONAL APPEARANCE, SAID ROD HAVING ITS LONGER AXIS IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTER OF THE PLANE OF THE SHUTTLE HAVING THE BOBBIN OPENING AND THE SHORTER AXIS OF THE FLATTENED ROD IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE SHUTTLE HAVING THE BOBBIN OPENING, WHEREIN THE SIDE WALL LAYERS OF THE IMPREGNATED FABRIC IN SAID FLATTENED, ROLLED ROD ARE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SIDE WALLS OF THE SHUTTLE BLANK AND WHEREIN THE TOP AND BOTTOM LAYERS OF THE IMPREGNATED FABRIC IN SAID FLATTENED ROLLED ROD ARE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE TOPS AND BOTTOMS, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE SIDE WALLS OF THE SHUTTLE BLANK. 